Writing the Weird with Kate Black

Life's odd, freaky, and downright embarrassing moments can be the hardest to write — and some of the best portals to creative truth. (Did you know the original meaning of "weird" is "‘having the power to control destiny?") In this workshop, participants will examine the function of strangeness in literary art and experiment with writing prompts that let their inner weirdos shine. Kate Black 's essays have been published in The Globe and Mail, The Walrus, and The Toronto Star. In 2020, she was selected as one of Canada's top emerging voices in non-fiction by the RBC Taylor Prize and the National Magazine Awards. Her non-fiction debut, Big Mall, was published by Coach House Books in 2024. Creative Writing Classes at VPL provide open, friendly, creative spaces for book lovers and aspiring writers of all levels.